The challenge of challenging yourself

Forecasting is a fool’s game, but let’s assume that I’m in a decent position for 2015: I like my job and city, am liked back, and my personal life is mildly together.

But I don’t feel terribly put-together. Perhaps more accurately, I feel like there is a disconnect, at times, between the scrutiny I place on myself and what others place on me. So what am I going to do about it? This is a challenge that no one will place on me, but I have to place on myself. No one will track my progress or call me out for slippage; again, that’s on me.

So, what’s to be done about it? What should I be working on, discussed now because of the convenient celestial occurrence of the beginning of the “year” that we observe on this planet.

Write more. This is an easy one. Even if it’s simply writing here, for an audience of near-nil, the practice and thought-processing should be a good thing. But there are other opportunities. Which leads to No. 2:

Step out of my comfort zone. At work, in life, do things I don’t feel I am fully proficient at; do things I’m not fully at ease with; do things that carry risk. Don’t be reckless or unethical, obviously; rather, be a bit more alive.

Take care of yourself. Sleep, fitness, etc. All the selfish things with long-term benefits. But also, be more to others. Communicate more. Send notes, perhaps even handwritten ones. At the least, do more to be in touch with people, professionally or personally. Especially the latter.

I’m sure there’s more to be done. And I’m not devoid of the above qualities. But this is a start of doing more. I hope.